Block Island officially switches from diesel to offshore wind power

By Michelle Froese Rhode Island’s Block Island silenced their diesel generating plant in the pre-dawn hours this morning. According to an announcement from Block Island Power Co., the Island went dark momentarily in a well-planned sequence of high-voltage switching intended to shut down the diesel generators. Company employees then systematically turned the lights back, this time powered by energy provided by the nation’s first off-shore wind project and the mainland grid. The silence is symbolic of saving nearly one million gallons of diesel fuel annually.
According to Block Island Power Co., approximately 2,000 electric customers on Block Island will have access to low-cost offshore